The Healer
by Lavenderpaw
Summary: There are some wounds more physical then others,that only certain people can comprehend and heal.For Katara,it was being unable to heal Jet.For Zuko,it's his life threatening illness.But when both meet again by chance can one help the other?Oneshot.


**Disclaimer:**I do not own Avatar...

Katara felt her normally mild temper rising in irritation towards the man in front of her,whom she had been haggling with for the last several minutes with over what was the best condition of the still unnamed produce before her.Since the success with the Earth King and her brother and Aang's depature,she had hardly had the time to think of the more trivial things such as shopping but had gotten a bit bored and decided to venture off into one of the local bazaars to look a bit.

"I'm telling you this fruit is at it's peak of flavour!"The merchant proclaimed,goading the medium sized fruit down hard with his index finger."See,if your finger doesn't leave any puncture marks on the surface then it's just fine."he held it out to her close,grinning anomalously."Do you see?"

She recoiled a little and told him politely."Uh...thanks.But I think I have somewhere else to be besides here..."He appeared to be waiting for her to further go into detail and she pointed off to her left."Over there,"she said and turned sharply only to come face-to-face with an old enemy.

Iroh's eyes turned deer in headlights wide."Katara?"

Guardedly,the Water Bender nodded once."Zuko's Uncle."

The two stood staring at one another for a long time,for Katara it was distrustingly and for him it was just plaining surprise.At least fifty people must have past them but she didn't bother to try and keep count.How long had he been here in the city?Was Zuko looking to ambush Aang anytime soon?But the longer her gaze settled into the old man's,the less she felt in danger.He seemed to be a normal civilian on a normal outting around and about,so normal it was creepy.

"_Tell me one reason I shouldn't reveal you_..."Katara began threateningly under her breath but a memory of Zuko going to an injuried Iroh's aid came back to her and even one of Iroh trying to stop Zhao made her regain composure,so she went on calmly."What are you doing here?"

"The same thing you are,"The old man replied without evasion."Trying to escape from a deadly fate and turn things around for the better and though it's been challenging,it's been rewarding."

She swallowed down a lump of cold fear when she thought of what Zuko might be up to."All right,"her demeanor still held challenge as she crossed her arms."Where's Zuko?Aang's gone."

A sadness entered his brown eyes that made Katara's insides crupple,she needn't ask because just by looking she knew he wasn't in good shape.Then it hit her.Did she have a right to judge them if they were trying to do what Iroh just told her?She gave Jet another chance,reluctantly, and he had lived up to his word in the end.Maybe this time would be like last.She had to try...

"Let me come see what I can do,"She heard herself speak haltingly."I...I'm able to heal others."

_Some people I'm able to heal_...her mind added,inwardly still mourning._But not everyone_.

"A very rare assest in the Water Tribes."Iroh commented in an impressed note,stroking his grey beard thoughtfully."But,"he shook his head dismissfully."I couldn't ask that of you,not after the way we hunted you and the rest of your teammates down like animals.It's a shameful past."

"It was."Katara agreed automatically and yet gave a small smile."But if he's ill,he's ill.Whatever nation people are from,they're still human being and they still deserve a chance.I'll give you one."

Half an hour later...

Katara hesistated when he opened the door and stood aside to allow her to enter but gradually built up the ability to work her legs into moving forward.She was a strong Water Bender after all,it was very likely she'd stand a chance against him.The interior to the home was furnished a little more ornamental then she had pictured but she hardly got a chance to take it in when Iroh motioned for her to follow him towards the back,gently pressing open a door to reveal a quiet Zuko lying motionless on the floor.But she stepping closer,he looked to be almost decumbent.

"Oh my..."she gasped,almost in fright.Beads of sweet trickled down his face that was tortured it seemed like,he screwed it up every now and then as he batted at something invisible in the air.

"He's dillusional."Iroh said from behind,almost reassuringly."For the past three and a half days."

Katara moved her hands away from covering her mouth and inquired more professionally."Do you know what might be causing it?"she knelt down and smoothed back some of his dark bangs away from his damp foreheard."If I have a good idea,it will make treating a lot more easier."

"I am not for sure,"He admitted with a soft,grunting sigh and she heard him crossing the room to where she had briefly spotted a tea kettle heating up."Around the head region I suspect.He's going through a growing sort of state as well but I fear it's worse then what I once assumed."

Looking at the young man who was merely two years older then she,at the once ruthless prince that vowed to capture the Avatar,she felt pity;plenty of pity and compassion.He was reduced to nothing but a shadow of his former self and she could tell that just by looking at him.Mentally taking on the task of helping him recover,Katara set to work on letting the crystal clear liquid interact with the exquisite movements of her slim fingers and began to layer carefully upon him.

An hour or so later...

Iroh had left after a while to run a few more errands and to give her absolute quietness to work.Much to her dissatisfaction,Zuko had awoken but she had generally fallen into tolerance as he made no attempt to snap at her,which put Katara at much ease while she continued on.

She felt his golden eyes on her,as she wordlessly and efficiently rose him out of his pain.The way they looked at her didn't seem malicious or even brooding but calm and observant.All of her motions,even her own breathing,he seemed to record.The minutes had melted away and he had slowly come to consciousness.Never talking though,never so much as blinking too fast.

He let out a dry coughing fit and turned from her,which made Katara instantly panged with guilit that she hadn't been able to help but watched at he clasped his throat and made a frantic usher over at the metallic water basin.Without thinking twice,she extended out her hand to the surface of it and letting it rise in a steady arc from the top,brought it down and cupped it in her palms.

"Slowly,"she admonished him,feeling strange shivers running up her arms as her finger tips made contact with his parched lips and brought the backs of her hands up to allow the water to move down into his mouth."Remember,not to fast.You might have a bad sinus build up down there."

"Why?"Zuko croaked weakly,appearing somewhat dazed."Why are you helping me?I wake in expectance of my Uncle and find you instead."he closed his amber eyes."Tell me,Katara.You shouldn't be here...you can't be.Not here in the city.That is,I didn't think you would still be."

Katara straightened herself up onto her knees."Why's that?The Fire Nation's conquered all of the land outside Be Sing Sai.It'd be very unwise to be anywhere else but here in most people's oppion."she stopped to consider the conspiracy,continuing off-topic."How're you feeling now?"

He lifted his hands,examining them from front and back before putting them back down at his sides."Better.With credit going to both you and my Uncle."his eyes were now cast upward,his voice for once held no tone of fanatical fury or biting resentfulness."I guess I shouldn't be too surprised to see someone like you coming to my aid.You always seemed tender hearted."

"That doesn't mean I'm weak."She challenged with some firmness,eyeing him a bit offendly as she crossed her arms."Besides,you're still in no condition to talk yourself."her words shifted into seriousness,azure eyes turning concerned."It's going to take a few days for you to get well."

He nodded slightly,his eyes travelling to the hollow of her neck."That necklace means marriage for your people,doesn't it?It was mandated to study into the Water tribes and Earth kingdoms."

"So you know a lot about our kind?"Katara inquired,unthreatend.Though she touched the blue pendant as if to shield it from him but he didn't seem to take notice,his eyes rose to meet hers.

"Thank you for your time,"Zuko told her sincerely."But you should go back to the Avatar."

"Aang left with my brother not too long ago,I'm here to assist the Earth King,"Sighing,she turned to look at the waned daylight of noontime."But you're right,I've been gone way too long.I-"

The experience of petrified chills coursed through her,as she felt him grab onto the very top of her shirt sleeve.Flashes,realistic images of different periods of her life skirted by her mind's eyes and she stifled a whimper of fear.He was going to burn her,he was going to do away with her...

"I-"He grunted stertorously and she felt him miraculously grant her a release."I'm sorry.I...I can't think straight at all,"his pained admittance made her turn back and watch him."Go,Katara."

Defiantly,she brought out the remnants of her water and brought it down over his body,which incased his robust upper build and formed a light blue aura around him as it sank into him.Zuko heaved his breaths for a few minutes before gradually his sides and chest ceased their relentless pumping and he regained control over himself.While he did,an idea crossed Katara's mind and she placed her finger tips onto either one of his temples and gently began massaging in tiny rolls.

"My mother use to do this for me,"she explained in a quiet,almost soothing voice."Whenever I or Sokka were in pain,this would also help relax us.Sometimes it'd even to more then that."

"Mine was kind of like that as well."Zuko said after a while,sounding reposed."Until something happened to her and she disappeared,"his eyes were closed and yet he squinched them."I never knew what became of her,all I have to fall back on about her are memories.That's all I have."

Suddenly,Katara found herself empathizing with him."It hurts,doesn't it?Not knowing where a person who you should be able to look upon for love and wisdom is.But...that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to move on with life,"she said profoundly."No matter what,no ones going to live on forever and what we do have is all the worth we need...Even,even if we could have done..."

Melancholy got the best of her,she felt an uprising of buried,heart-wrenching tears surface to the brim of her very being and began to break.Hastily,she gathered things up and slid them all over to the side of the room across the floor with a grating noise.Katara tried to get to her feet but all at once,she felt a hand take her by the wrist in which she tried to pry herself out of;to no avail.

"_Don't_..."she sobbed quietly,desperately trying to fight away from him."_Let go of me!You evil-_"

"It's all right,"Zuko's voice was completely calm,with no hint of emotion as he encircled her into a soft embrace,cradling and rocking her steadily."It's all right,Katara.Just let it out.You lost a person other then your mother recently.It's just a guess but probably a pretty accurate one."

They stayed like that it seemed forever,Katara in his arms.Two people who were from very different worlds and yet they were the same.Somehow,being in his arms was lessening the strain Katara had felt.Feeling comforted,she weeped on his shoulder.She weeped for Jet,she weeped for her mother,she weeped for the people who had lost their lifes and for everyone as well.

"Listen,"He began softly,pulling away from her and looking her in the eyes,which she had found she had not been able to do before."You're right,no one lives forever and those left behind have to learn to move on,"a curling of his lips,a very brief smile lit up on his face and his amber eyes shone a different light then Katara had seen before in them."We have to try...you,Katara,are still going to move on.You couldn't save whoever it was but it wasn't your fault.Please,believe me."

Her warm tears dissolved."I do,"she told him,heartened.Slowly,she brought her hand up to the side of his face,up to the outer ring of his scar and touched it."It makes you look distinguished."

Zuko emitted a small laugh."I've gotten use to it."he said dismissfully,as he covered over her hand with his,filling her with sparks of pleasure."You're beautiful,Katara.You know that."

The two leaned forward,almost mesmerically.Katara wanted so badly to kiss him,to feel his hot and tingling lips press against hers.They were just mere inches from one another and were very rapidly covering up the space between them.She was so close,three inches,two inches,one...

Suddenly,realisation flooded her.It was an unescapable wake up call that penetrated her newfound sense of longing to be with him.Apart of Katara had always been attracted to Zuko and now that she had the prospect of him being reformed,it hadn't seemed like anything could ruin the moment.

But of course,it did.She could not be with him...not now.Katara had an obligation to the Earth King,she had an obligation to her family and friends...to the Avatar,to Aang.Feeling warbly,she pushed him forward and before he could protest,raced through the house and out the front door.

_That night_...

The full moon bathed her in a stream of calmed alabaster,her light sheets felt cool and silky.There was someone in her room,she could suddenly perceive it and was going to react by jumping out of bed to confront her intruder when she felt her covers move up to her shoulder and a hand push back some of the dark umber hair tendrils behind her ear.She stiffened up her back as lips brushed against her cheek.

"Good night,Katara..."Zuko's voice was just a faint breath in her ear."You're my healer."

And just as silently as he had come,the banished prince vanished into the night.After a long spell,she decided that he too knew the circumstance of which they found themselves in.They both cared about one another but it would not work out.Maybe not now,not ever.It just wasn't the right time and place.

"But you're my healer as well,"Katara whispered with a wistful smile,falling into her own realm of sleep.

The End.


End file.
